Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,504 adults between Friday and Sunday. The equivalent poll last month gave the Tories a 14% lead.

The poll included a question asking voting intention broken down by voters’ type of employment:

"Conservative support is 38 per cent in the public sector, but 45 per cent in the private sector, while Labour’s rating is slightly lower in the public than the private sector, at 26 against 29 per cent. The difference is partly because the Liberal Democrats do much better in the public than the private sector, at 23 against 17 per cent, and employees of the state sector are more inclined to back other parties, notably the Greens. The Tories are ahead amongst NHS and local government workers, while support amongst teachers splits almost evenly between the three main parties."